Invisible Illness Awareness Network
About our Invisibly Aware Series
The Invisibly Aware Series is a unique program where people can learn about invisible illnesses through free informational meetings held on Zoom twice a month. Our goal is to reach as many future healthcare professionals as possible, but everyone, regardless of age or career goals, is welcome to attend our meetings. We want everyone to learn about invisible illnesses and the impact they have on society. From patients, to caregivers, to families, to healthcare professionals themselves- many people are impacted by invisible illnesses all over the world. There is always more to learn about, and we’d love it if you joined us on our journey to start conversations about the many invisible illnesses that exist.
Every month we focus on a different group of invisible conditions involved with various body systems, such as the circulatory system, gastroenterological system, and nervous system, among others. At our first meeting of the month, we host a presentation on the conditions being covered, going over symptoms, causes, the diagnosis process, treatment options, prevalence, comorbidities, and any other pertinent information. At our second meeting of the month, we have guest speakers talk about their experience with the conditions we went over. Our guest speakers are either patients, caregivers, medical professionals, or family members of those who have the conditions we discuss.
By providing comprehensive presentations and discussions aimed at equipping future healthcare professionals with the knowledge and empathy necessary to accurately recognize and treat these conditions in the future, we hope to help lower the diagnostic delay for patients and families trying to get help. Even for those who join us who do not want to go into healthcare, having a safe space for people to learn about and discuss invisible illnesses is incredibly important. We need to reduce the stigma associated with invisible illnesses while encouraging everyone to be kind. You never know what someone is going through just by looking at them.
Our next meeting is on: Wednesday, September 11th at 8:00 PM EST
We will be having guest speakers talk about their experiences with Chronic Pain conditions, including Fibromyalgia, Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, Occipital Neuralgia, and Trigeminal Neuralgia.
You can find our scheduled meetings: Link to Meeting Schedule
and you can join the meetings on Zoom: Zoom link
FAQs
What is The Invisibly Aware Series?
The Invisibly Aware Series is a program hosted by Invisible Illness Awareness Network, where people from all walks of life can learn about invisible illnesses through free informational meetings held on Zoom twice a month.
How often are Invisibly Aware meetings held, and how long do they last?
Meetings are held twice a month under normal circumstances! If we have more (or less) meetings in any given month, we will update our schedule and social media pages to reflect those changes with as much notice as possible. Meetings are scheduled to last for one hour but may be longer or shorter depending on the type of meeting and how many questions are asked at the end. You are free to join for however long you want!
What is expected of me if I come to meetings?
The only thing we expect of those coming to our meetings is courtesy and respect towards everyone. We want this to be a safe learning environment for all, so hate, discrimination, misinformation, and rudeness will not be tolerated under any circumstances.
What can I do if I miss a meeting?
We upload all of our guest speaker meetings to YouTube! Check out our YouTube channel!
What’s the catch?
There truly isn’t one! We just want to spread awareness about invisible illnesses with the hope that patients will not have to wait months or years to get the medical help they deserve. Our meetings are free to attend because we want there to be as few barriers as possible for everyone to learn about these conditions. Everyone volunteering for IIAN truly enjoys learning and seeing how our meetings and resources help people.